


Unexpected Outcomes

by invisible_aliens



Series: Carry On Countdown 2018 [13]
Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Getting Together, M/M, Misunderstandings, Pranks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-07
Packaged: 2019-09-13 13:51:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16893822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/invisible_aliens/pseuds/invisible_aliens
Summary: Niall and Dev have a competition to see who can upset Simon the most. It doesn't go to plan.Set during the later years at Watford.Written for the Carry On Countdown 2018, Day 13: Games





	Unexpected Outcomes

**BAZ**

“I'm bored,” says Niall, taking a bite of his roll. “We haven't done anything interesting in _ages_.”

He's not wrong. I've spent most of the last few months focusing on school work, and while I've been satisfied with that, it isn't enough for Dev and Niall.

“What do you suggest?” I say.

“Something fun. Some sort of game, maybe,” he says.

Dev's eyes light up.

“What kind of game were you thinking of?” I ask. “I'm hoping to mainly focus on school work for the rest of the year.”

“You're always up to annoy Snow! Why don't we have a competition to see who can upset him the most?” asks Niall.

To be honest, I don't feel like properly digging into Snow anymore. I'll still snipe at him, and growl when he comes over to my side of the room and hiss when he insists I'm plotting, but no more plans to actually take him out.

But at the same time, it's only what he expects from me, and Dev and Niall with be confused if I suddenly seem to have a more… Positive opinion of him. I think it over.

“What if you two compete, I concentrate on school, which is important” - Dev rolls his eyes - “and also judge the two of you?”

It's a great plan, if I say so myself.

 

For the rest of lunch, the two of them are quiet as they put together their plans.

  


**SIMON**

There's a letter slipped under the door when I wake up on Monday morning. It says:

_Dearest Simon,_

_I love you. I love your expression when you see a fresh plate of scones._

There's no name, and I don't recognise the writing. Whoever it is must have heard Agatha broke up with me and thought they had a chance. (Though why they thought this was going to work if they didn't put a name on it, I don't know.)

Later, Dev catches me alone after class. (Maybe Baz has resorted to sending his minions after me.)

“I just thought you might want to know,” he says with a smirk, “that I'm going on a date with Agatha on the weekend.”

At first I feel a surge of anger, but I think about what Penny would say. _“Agatha can do what she wants, Simon. Even if it isn't what you want her to do.”_

And then I remember I have a secret admirer. Maybe there _is_ someone else out there for me.

So I just shrug. “We've broken up, so that's got nothing to do with me.”

He glowers after me as I walk off.

 

Over the week, both the letters and Dev's bragging continue. The letters get longer, more detailed. And they've certainly been written by someone who _knows_ me. Every morning when I wake up, my stomach flutters when I remember there's another letter.

 

I think Dev's starting to give up since he's not getting a reaction from me. I did ask Agatha about it, though.

“Are you _really_ going on a date with Dev?”

She sighs. “Only because he wouldn't stop bugging me. I keep trying to tell him I don't want to go, but he just won't listen! I'm just not going to turn up, I think.”

Finding that out makes me even less worried about anything happening between them.

 

I tell Penny about the letters, but she has no idea who's sending them.

“I could wait outside your door all night to see who it is!” she suggests. “Actually on second thoughts, I've got work to do.”

 

On Friday afternoon, it's _Niall_ who pulls me aside after class. (What is going _on_?)

“You've been getting letters from a secret admirer, haven't you?” he says.

“How do you know about that?” I demand.

“I've been talking to your admirer.”

“Who is it?” I ask.

“You can't tell anyone,” he warns. “Or tease them.”

“I won't!”

“It's Baz.”

“ _What? Baz_? You expect me to believe that? This is some sort of plot he's put you up to, isn't it.” I’m sceptical, but there’s a flutter of hope in my stomach.

“If it was a plot, he'd be talking to you about this himself. No, this is entirely Baz being bad at sorting out his feelings.”

I think about what he's saying, and realise I believe him. It _is_ Baz sending those letters.

At least, I hope it is.

(Fuck, where did that come from? _Baz_? Seriously? What is wrong with me? He hates me.)

(Actually, considering the letters he's been sending, that last bit's not quite true.)

  


**BAZ**

I'm sitting at my desk working when Snow comes in.

“I know about the letters,” he says.

“What letters?” I ask. What is he on about?

“You don't have to pretend. The love letters. I want you to know… I… I feel the same way. It was a bit of a shock, but-”

“Look, I have no idea what you're talking about.”

“Niall told me all about it!”

“Niall?” oh no. This was his plan to upset Simon? Write him love letters and say they're from me? (Hang on, Did Snow just imply he loved me?)

“I didn't write them,” I say. “Niall's just messing with you. He's playing a game with Dev. It's a sort of competition.” I wave my arms around vaguely, as if that will explain it.

His face is starting to crumple, and he's about to cry. (Because he thinks I don't love him.)

“But just because I didn't write the love letters,” I say, “it doesn't mean I don't love you.”

It's weird, revealing the secret I've kept for so long in such a casual way.

Simon goes silent, trying to process what I've said. “Is this part of the game?” he asks.

I wall over to him. “No, this is real.”

And I kiss him.

It's _amazing_.

We pull apart after a few moments to catch our breath.

“Niall was trying to trick you, to make you upset. But somehow, he just ended up stumbling right onto the truth.”

 

The next morning, Niall's eager to hear what happened.

“He didn't actually confess his love, did he?” he asks, giggling.

Dev groans. “Please say he didn't! I'll definitely have lost then. Goading him about Agatha hasn't gotten me anywhere! He was completely unfazed by the idea of dear Agatha and I going on a date.”

Niall grins. “I've won, haven't I? He's devastated because it wasn't you sending the letters.”

“No, neither of you won. You both failed miserably, and the game's over.”

“So he _didn't_ confess his love? After I talked to him yesterday, I was sure he was going to.”

“Oh he did confess his love,” I correct, “but it just so happens that I love him back. We've started dating.”

Dev and Niall shriek in unison. “ _What!?”_

Simon smiles at me from across the dining hall.

**Author's Note:**

> I like to think Niall (and Dev) have picked up a lot of random details about Simon from Baz.


End file.
